South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (right) congratulates SC State University President Alexander Conyers on the university’s Research 2 institution designation, on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. Photo by Keith Gilliard/SC State University Relations & Marketing.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster joined South Carolina State University President Alexander Conyers on Tuesday in announcing that SC State has achieved Research 2 (R2) status in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
“This is a defining moment in our university’s history, one that reflects our steadfast commitment to academic excellence, innovation and impactful research,” Conyers said in the announcement at the university’s Fine Arts Building. “Achieving R2 status is no small feat. In fact, we are one of only 139 institutions from more than 3,000 colleges and universities across the country who were evaluated for this designation.
“This is a testament to the dedication of our faculty, the hard work of our students and the unwavering support of our alumni, staff and community partners,” he said. “This designation places South Carolina State among the nation’s top-tiered research institutions, expanding our opportunities for federal funding, partnerships and groundbreaking discoveries that will benefit not only our university, but the entire state of South Carolina and beyond.”
The R2 status signifies a university with “high research activity,” meaning it spends at least $5 million on research and awards at least 20 research doctorates annually. SC State exceeded both criteria in 2023, devoting $7.8 million to research and awarding 25 doctoral degrees.
McMaster congratulated the university on achieving the milestone with a pledge to “keep this going.”
“This institution is superior in many, many different ways at many different levels,” McMaster said in the announcement SC State’s Fine Arts Building. “As long as we work together – if we communicate, collaborate and cooperate — there is no end to what we can do.”
SC State is now the state’s fourth top-tier research university, joining Clemson University, the University of South Carolina and the Medical University of South Carolina, all of which are Research 1 institutions. The R2 designation will allow SC State to compete for even more federal and private research funding.
A wide array of research initiatives is ongoing at SC State, spanning all five of the university’s colleges. They include such topics as:
